


Nameday

by ShatteredSwallowtail



Series: Taming Dragons [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:47:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23889961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShatteredSwallowtail/pseuds/ShatteredSwallowtail
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Estinien Wyrmblood
Series: Taming Dragons [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1733218
Comments: 1
Kudos: 54





	Nameday

Stepping up the rocky stone steps, Aymeric closed his eyes as the breeze swept through his hair. He missed this. This weather, this climate. Ishgard had once been like this. Before the Calamity had plunged Coerthas into frozen tundra. It wasn’t even that he truly minded the cold, provided one dressed appropriately, but still… this reminded him of younger days. Shaking himself from his reverie and conscious of the eyes on him, Aymeric sucked in a breath and continued his way up the stairs and into the tall tower. The dragon that he was in search of was there, as he had expected her to be, and he approached Vidofnir with a smile and an elegant bow of greeting.

“Greetings, friend Vidofnir. I hope in the time since our last meeting that you have fared well?”

The white dragon’s head swiveled around to regard him as he heard her rumbling thought-voice resound in his head. _**Indeed they have, Ser Knight. And you are also in good health it would appear.**_ She idly stretched a wing as her tail tip twitched and she gave him what he supposed passed as a grin for dragons. At least, that was what he believed the bared teeth to be, when taken alongside her friendly greeting. “I am indeed, it is truly kind of you to ask. I am sure you recall that when last we spoke I made mention of the growing number of Ishgardian citizens who desire to strengthen ties between our peoples. And of the potential plans that could be made to facilitate that. With your permission, I have brought along a small group of scholars and healers who would welcome the opportunity to share knowledge with you and yours. In this way we might begin to take some more small steps towards restoring the peace that man and dragon shared so long ago. Would this be an acceptable thing to you, honoured Vidofnir?”

She cocked her head slightly to the side as though considering his proposition before she spoke in reply. _**It is much appreciated that you bring not warriours with you. Though I and mine own closest brood know your intentions to be honourable...there is still much pain and hurt to be bridged. Scholars we would converse with, yet you speak of healers and it is our custom and practice to allow rest to heal our wounds.**_

That fact was not unknown to him, and Aymeric nodded his agreement. “Indeed, I had thought of such things when considering the company which to bring. And though I mean no disrespect to your culture or practices, would it not be to your benefit to speak with healers? Rest indeed may heal all but your most grievous of hurts, true… but there are many ways to ease pain and speed healing. And what of your hatchlings? Forgive me if I offend in my ignorance, but are not your younglings similar to our own? Immature, less robust and hardy than their elder kin and thereby more like to take hurt from maladies that would scarce plague an elder dragon? It is thus with our kind and the loss of a child to preventable injury or illness is a great sadness to us. I cannot believe that you would not grieve your own who you have surely lost in a similar fashion.”

His words seemed to strike a chord with the dragon, as she gave a soft growl that he was unsure whether to take as warning or agreement and answered it with another bow. “If I have offended you, honoured friend… then I humbly beg your forgiviness. I thought only of the welfare of you and yours.” His heart seemed to thunder in his ears as the seconds ticked by in silence before her voice purred through his mind again. _**You have given no offense, my friend, but much to think on. It is as you say; the loss of a hatchling is an occasion to mourn. Perhaps it is different for dragon than for man, as our children number greater, but our grief over those lost is no less felt. Very well, bring your healers, that our peoples might learn from one another. Wilt thou be lodging here with me and mine? While we certainly have nothing such as you would consider housing and shelter, our caverns are warm and dry.**_

Aymeric chuckled softly as he gave another deep bow to the dragon. “You have my thanks, friend Vidofnir. I shall relay your words to the company and suggest that they make camp in the base of the tower if that is acceptable. As for myself, there is another matter that I wished to discuss with you. A matter of some personal importance…” He could have sworn the dragon gave what was essentially a wry chuckle before she spoke again. _**You seek your mate, do you not? There is a waterfall not far, you will likely find him there.**_

Her phrasing had him considering whether he should clarify the terms for her or not. It certainly wasn’t as though they had some sort of formal legal arrangement, and Estinien had dodged the issue when he’d brought it up once after teasing the dragoon about his accidental ‘proposal’. So he had dropped the line of questioning, though he still couldn’t help but wonder how he would be received if he suggested such a thing to his lover. While such things were hardly commonplace in Ishgard, neither was it outlawed. He had known both men and women through his life who found pleasure and companionship within their own sex and in his opinion it hardly mattered to whom someone went to bed with. There was also the simple fact that they were both men who kept to themselves, who kept their private life private and kept a small close group of people who knew them beyond a certain degree. 

_Estinien would say it was too risky, given your position in Ishgard._ His subconscious reminded him as he nodded his thanks to Vidofnir and made for the small camp where the rest of his party were setting up their things. It was most likely true, and he could already picture his lover pointing out that while such relationships were not outlawed or unheard of in Ishgard it would be another thing entirely for the Speaker of the House of Lords and Commander of the Temple Knights to let it become known that he was in a love affair with the former Azure Dragoon. Such things could cause scandal and shake the foundations of everything they had worked so hard for.

Propriety aside, he thought that if such a thing were true that he had a few anatomically impossible suggestions for what Ishgard could go and do with itself and several creatively chosen vilekin.

As he reached the camp, Aymeric relayed Vidofnir’s words to the small company of healers and scholars awaiting him. They seemed quite pleased with the agreement and began making plans for how to go about their respective tasks. With his duties finished, Aymeric took a moment to slip into one of the tents and change out of his usual garb of armour and heavy blue fabric into the lighter padded jerkin and trousers that he wore beneath it. Not only was it far more comfortable in the warmer climate, but it also made it a little bit easier to slip away from the rest of the group without being noticed as he made his way in the direction Vidofnir had indicated. He had walked for only 5 or 10 minutes when the sound of the waterfall began to be audible over the ambient noise around him and it was difficult for Aymeric not to quicken his pace as he approached. Hoping that Vidofnir was right and he would find the silver-haired dragoon there.

His hopes were rewarded as he rounded the final bend and the falls came into view. They were magnificent to look at, the crystalline water tumbling over the rocks and falling down in a graceful cascade...but not nearly as magnificent as the sight of Estinien standing in them, his back to the knight as the water splashed down onto naked skin. His hair had grown longer, stretching down to the middle of his back when it was soaked like now, and Aymeric let his gaze watch the way the rivulets of water carved their way across toned muscle and skin as he felt his mouth go dry. Nothing new; Estinien always had that effect on him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take a moment to stand and admire before he cleared his throat and stepped to the edge of the water.

The subtle sound was enough for the dragoon to spin around, his gaze narrowing at the interruption before widening as he saw who had interrupted him. “My lord… what are you doing here?”

Aymeric cocked his head to one side with a look of feigned hurt on his face. “Truly? I make a point of tracking you down so that I can visit you instead, and this is the reaction that you have for me? I do believe I am slightly offended, my love.” The teasing earned him a scowl as Estinien stalked over and before he could move the dragoon had grabbed his wrist and jerked him into the pool. The shock of the water had him gasping as it soaked him right through padded cloth and leather, but he hardly noticed as that gasp was swallowed up in a hungry kiss. His fingers clawed at sodden silver hair as Estinien backed him up against the stone wall, grinding hips hard against Aymeric’s as his fingers deftly worked at the ties of now-drenched jerkin and trousers. “Is this….a suitable reaction….my lord?” The taller man growled out between rough, demanding kisses as he wrenched soaked fabric out of the way for his hands to get at bare skin.

It was more than suitable, and he could hardly get his answer out amidst gasping moans of Estinien’s name. Especially when those long fingers finally managed to work free the lacings at the front of his trousers and slip inside to wrap around his aching length with rough, hard strokes. This was not to be soft and gentle, and Aymeric was more than alright with that as he raked his nails against Estinien’s back. “D...don’t….hold back…. Want…..all of you….” He could feel the other man’s mouth curve into a smile where it was fastened to his collarbone, knew it was one not only of affection but of gratitude for his ready acceptance and he whimpered at the heat in Estinien’s voice when those lips trailed back up to his ear with a growling purr. “As you wish, my lord…”

Those words sent a shiver down his spine and Aymeric caught his breath on a moan as Estinien finally rid him of soaked trousers and began to work him open with his fingers as he sucked a dark bruise to the side of Aymeric’s neck. “I’ll give you what you want, my own….. But I would hear you scream for me….” As many times as they had been together like this, it was nearly always in Aymeric’s chambers. Where propriety and decorum dictated that they be mindful of the more noisy evidence of their liaisons. More times than he could count had he watched his lover muffle cries of passion into his chest or his shoulder and this time...he wanted to _hear_ those sounds. To revel in them, drink them up like they were life itself as he lost himself in Aymeric. Here, where the thundering water would drown them out, where they didn’t have to be careful and proper and all those things that Aymeric did so effortlessly and he himself could never be bothered with if it weren’t _for_ Aymeric. Pulling his fingers free, he hooked his arms under Aymeric’s knees to hoist his lover up and bury himself to the hilt with one long slow thrust and a groan.

“F.. Fury…. Aymeric…..” He gasped into his lord’s shoulder as his whole body seemed to go up in flames and he bit back a growl as he twisted one hand into ebony curls with a hard yank to bare Aymeric’s throat to his lips and teeth. “S..scream for me….love….. Scream….my name….” Setting a rough, hard pace, there was no need to ask twice as he felt nails rake his back and legs tighten around his hips. Groaning at the sweet sound of those moans and cries of his name with every hard, deep thrust. Neither of them would last long like this, and he didn’t care at all as he let his instincts drive him and his pace sped up as he reached between them to stroke tight fingers along his lover’s length in time. He was barely holding on but the twelve be damned if he was going to allow himself to finish first. “M...mine…. You’re…..mine…. Aymeric…..”

All that he got in return was a choked scream that sounded somewhat like ‘yours’ before he felt his lover finally crash over that edge as his entire body stiffened and spasmed against Estinien and he finally let himself follow with another two or three hard thrusts. He was shaking with the aftershocks as he worked them both through it, gradually slowing his thrusts as his tight grip on Aymeric softened into an embrace instead and he nuzzled soft kisses to skin he had recently bruised with a chuckle. “Though I…. know not the occasion….. I find this…..to be a welcome gift.”

His lover nodded, trying to catch his breath as he gave a soft scoff in return. “K...know you not….what tomorrow…..brings? You are...the only man I know…..who would forget his own nameday, Estinien.” Aymeric’s soft chiding caused him to furrow his brow in thought as he counted days...only to realize that the man was entirely correct. Giving a martyred roll of his eyes, Estinien shrugged. “It is hardly a day of import, my lord. Hardly worthy of your valuable time. Though as you are already here, I suppose I could find reason to linger in the area for a matter of a few days. If only to ensure that your time has not been wasted.” In spite of his words, there was the hint of a smirk on his lips and a warmth in his eyes and Aymeric snorted his own amusement as he leaned in for a gentler kiss this time.”Indeed, I would not wish to find myself bereft of anything to occupy my time while I am here. Your ‘generosity’ will not go unrewarded.”

It was another hour and a half before Estinien allowed them both out of the pool, and they were curled up together on a soft blanket in the warm sun when he leaned his head down to press a soft kiss to Aymeric’s forehead in an unusually tender gesture. “Thank you….for this.” His words were soft but heavy with meaning, and he tightened his arm around Aymeric’s waist as the shorter man raised his head from Estinien’s shoulder. His smile warming as he reached to gently trace a finger along his lover’s jaw. “You need never thank me, my own. I love you. And though I understand your need to wander, I miss you no less when you are away. Were I a different man, I would travel the world with you.”

“Were you a different man, I would not treasure you as I do.” Was the gruff reply he received as Estinien pressed his head back down against his shoulder. Shifting slightly, Aymeric smiled as he closed his eyes and relaxed again. “I suppose you’re right.”


End file.
